Ohio To Bolster Checks On Home Health Workers

The state of Ohio has received a $2.1 million federal grant to improve criminal background checks for those home health care workers who directly serve the disabled and elderly.

The money means more thorough reviews for more than 100,000 workers who provide direct care to patients in Medicaid- and Medicare-funded settings. Gov. John Kasich's administration says Ohio will provide another $700,000 in state funds to bolster background checks. The money will help the state extend the use of the attorney general's fingerprint database to direct-care providers. State officials say the electronic system will make post-hiring background checks timelier and less burdensome. Attorney General Mike DeWine says his office will be able to immediately notify employers of a worker's arrest or a conviction.